Forage unloading mechanism for silos



Sept. 2l, 1965 J. J. LAIDIG FORAGE UNLOADING MECHANISM FOR SILOS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 3. 1961 www.

Jonathan J Laid/'g INVENTOR.

BY MQ Sept. 2l, 1965 J. x. LAIDIG FORAGE UNLOADING MECHANISM FOR SILOS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 5. 1961 @ulgngseugngng Jonathan JLaid/g IN VEN TOR.

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Amrum United States Patent Office Re. 25,863 Reissuecl Sept. 21, 196525,863 FORAGE UNLOADING MECHANISM FOR SILCS Jonathan J. Laidig, Rte. 1,14450 Madison Road, Mishawaka, Ind.

Original No. 3,121,501, dated Feb. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 142,584, Oct. 3,1961. Application for reissue July 28, 1964, Ser. No. 398,821

26 Claims. (Cl. 214 17) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to unloading and conveying devices, andparticularly to devices for unloading feed from the bottom of silos andconveying the feed to the exterior of the silos.

Accordingly it is a primary object of the invention to disclose a devicefor efticiently unloading feed forcibly by power means from silos andconveying the feed to the exterior of the silos.

It is another object of the invention to provide an unloading device forsilos which is power driven in such a manner that the unloading deviceis forced by a positive means in a circular motion around the bottom ofthe silo whereby it forcibly cuts or chews particles of feed from thebottom of the feed stack in the silo, conveys this feed to the center ofthe silo whereupon the feed drops downwardly into a conveyor whichcarries the feed to the exterior of the silo.

It is another object of the invention `to provide a device for unloadingfeed from silos in such a manner that layers of feed are removedsuccessively completely across the floor of the silo whereby no portionsof feed are left at the edge of the silo floor for supporting columns offeed thereabove. This is of particular importance in the winter timewhen conventional conveyors commonly leave some feed at the side of thesilo which becomes frozen and supports the feed thereabove so as toprevent it from dropping downwardly into the unloading mechanism. Thisobviously causes loss of efiiciency or complete inoperativeness of theunloader.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel and moreefficient means for positively forcing a silo unloading mechanism in acircular path around the bottom of a silo,

It is another object of the invention to provide a silo forage unloadingmechanism which has power driven means thereon for positively choppingand cutting up the forage for more efficient removal.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a silo forageunloading device which is self-cleaning so as to prevent locking andfouling of its mechanical parts.

It is another object of the invention to provide a silo unloading devicewhich is relatively simple and efficient in design, economical tomanufacture, and is durable and highly reliable in use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross sectional View through the bottom portionof a silo and showing my invention installed therein;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the planeof line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale takensubstantially upon the plane of line 3 3 in FIGURE 2;

Cit

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross section view on an enlarged scale takensubstantially on the plane of line 4 4 in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the conveyor cutterelements;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross sectional view on an enlarged scale takensubstantially on the plane of line 6 6 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially onthe plane of line 7 7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of line 8 8 in FIG- URE 6.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, it can be seenthat my forage loader 10 is mounted at the bottom of a silo 12 andcomprises a sweeping auger 14 mounted just above the floor 16 of thesilo and a main discharge auger 18 located below the floor and securedat one end in the circular foundation wall 2l) of the silo and at theother end in the center post 22 which supports the central portion ofthe silo oor 16.

The sweeping auger 14 comprises an auger 24 extending radially of thesilo from the center of the center post 22 to the circular wall 26 ofthe silo 12. The auger 24 includes a spiral rib concentric around andsecured to a central shaft 26. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, theradially inner end of the shaft 26 extends into an L-shaped gear housing28 and is journalled in an anti-friction bearing 30 secured in a sidewall of the housing, The gear housing 28 encloses two rotatable andmating bevel gears 32 and 34. The larger gear 32 is secured to the endof the shaft 26, and the smaller gear 34 is secured to the upper end ofa vertically extending drive shaft 36. Two spider assemblies 38 and 40each comprising four radially extending arms are secured within acircular chamber 42 within the center post 22. The central portions ofthese spiders have recesses in which are secured anti-friction bearings44 and 46 for rotatably journalling the drive shaft 36. The bottom ofthe gear housing 28 has a downwardly extending annular flange formedthereon which receives a thrust bearing 48 for rotatably journalling thehousing 28 on the upper surface of the spider 38, so that the housingprovides a rotatable central support. An electric motor S0 is secured ina conventional manner to the bottom surface of the spider 40 and thehousing thereof supports a transmission 52 which is connected to anddrives the drive shaft 36 at a reduced speed.

The back side of the auger 24 is enclosed by a cover assembly 54 havingflanges 54a and 54h by means of which it is secured lo the centralsupport. The cover assembly 54 comprises a part cylindrical forwardlyconcave inner wall 56. The outer edges of the inner wall are secured tothe outer edges of an angle member 58 to form a hollow structuralmember, and a central portion of the wall 56 is connected to the anglemember by a rib 60. An upper leg 58a of the angle member provides a topwall that extends downwardly and rearwardly; while a lower leg 58h ofsaid member extends upwardly and rearward/y.

The outer edges of the auger 24 have secured thereto a plurality ofknives 62 by means of rivets 64 extending through aligned bores in theknives and the auger. Shown in FIGURE 5, each of the knives 62 ispreferably triangular in cross section and has a sloping upper surface64' which intersects with a front surface to form a relatively sharpcutting edge 66.

The radially outer end of shaft 26 is rotatably journalled and supportedin a plow by means of an antifriction bearing 68 located in a recess inthe inner side wall of the plow. The rear end of the plow has an arcuaterecess 72 formed therein which receives a support wheel 74 journalled onan axle 76 whose ends extend through the wheel and are Secured to theplow 70.

An electric motor housing 78 is secured to the inner side wall of theplow by means of a bracket 80. The motor housing 78 is also supportedwithin a recess in the outer end of the cover assembly' 54. The driveshaft 82 of the electric motor is journalled in the plow 70 by means ofanti-friction bearings 84. The central portion of the shaft 82 isrectangular and drivingly connected to a sprocket 86 which is rotatablein the recess 88 in the upper portion of the plow.

The plow is supported by means of the wheel 74 on a rail 90 whichcomprises the lower leg of a channelshaped track 92. The track 92 issupported within an annular recess 94 formed within the inside of thesilo wall. The upper leg 96 of the track 92 has secured at its undersidean annular roller chain 98 which extends 360 around the silo wall withthe rail 92; and the clmz'n 98 and upper leg 96 Cooperate lo provide arack-like drive track member. The sprocket 86 mates with the rollerchain 98 so that when the sprocket is driven by the motor 78, the plowand outer end of the auger 24 are forced in a counter-clockwisedirection around the silo wall as viewed in FIGURE 2 and as shown by thearrow. The motor 78 is preferably connected to the sprocket 86 by areduction gear transmission 79 so as to increase torque produced at thesprocket 86 and to decrease the rotational speed of the auger 24 aboutthe shaft 36.

The forward portion of the plow has a triangular blade portion 100terminating in a vertical edge 102. The triangular portion 100 acts as aplow and wedge and forces all foreign material out of the track 92.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the radial outer end of the cover assembly 54 isflanged at 104. The flange 104 is secured to the plow 70 by means of abolt 106. Thus, the cover assembly forms c1 rotatable sweep arm, theouter end of which is adjacent the sito wall 26.

As shown in FIGURE l, the circular chamber 42 terminates in afrusto-conical well 108 below the spider assemblies 38 and 40. The sidewalls of the wall 108 and an upper portion of the foundation 20 havealigned sloping bores 110 and 112 formed therein respectively. Mountedwithin these bores is a tubular housing 114 for the auger assembly 18.At least the upper half of the housing 114 within the well 108 isremoved so as to expose the discharge auger 116. The auger 116 is also aspiral member mounted on a shaft 118, the lower end of which isjournalled at 120 in the side of the well 108.

The outer end of the housing 114 is closed by a circular wall 122through which extends the outer end of the shaft 118. The shaft isjournalled to the wall 122 by means of an antifriction bearing 124. Theouter end of the shaft 118 has affixed thereon a pulley 126. A

motor 128 and a reduction gearing 130 are mounted on the upper surfaceof the outer end of the housing 114. Reduction gearing 130 is connectedto and drives a relatively small pulley 132 which drives the largerpulley 124 by means of a belt 134. The extreme outer end of the housing114 is in communication with an outlet nozzle 136 which is spaced aboveand directed toward the ground 138.

In operation the silo 12 is lled with forage to a relatively greatheight. The weight of the forage compacts the bottom layers thereof andmakes it difficult to remove. However, with my invention, to remove theforage from the silo it is only necessary to energize the motors 78, S0and 128. The motor 78 by means of the transmission 79, sprocket 86 androller chain 98 drives H the auger 24 in a clockwise direction aroundthe silo. At the same time the motor 50 by means of the transmission 52,shaft 36 and gear mechanism 28 drives the auger 24 in a rotationaldirection about its own longitudinal axis. As the auger 24 moves overthe floor 16 of the silo, the rotating knives 62 chop the forage intosmall pieces whereby it enters the spiral recess in the auger 24 and isforced radially inwardly by the rotation of the auger about its ownlongitudinal axis into the circular chamber 42. The forage then fallsdown through the spiders 38 and 40 onto the main discharge auger 18. Thedischarge auger 18 then removes the forage from the well 108 through thetube 114 whereupon it is discharged from the nozzle 136 into anydesirable receptacle, not shown.

Normally, forage would tend to clog the inside chamber of the track 92.However, the angled surface 100 of the plow effectively forces allforage and foreign particles from the inside of the track therebykeeping it unobstructed. Also, it is to be noted that the layer offorage equal in thickness to the height of the auger 24 is completelyremoved from wall to wall of the silo during each revolution of theauger about its vertical axis. This insures that no forage or foreignmaterial will be left at the edge of the silo for supporting its weight,particularly in the winter time when the forage freezes. Normally, theauger 24 rotates about its longitudinal axis 100 r.p.m. and about itsvertical axis once every l2 to l5 minutes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes Willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a generally cylindrical silo including a oor having acentrally located opening therein, and an unloader for the sitocomprising an inwardly opening annular, channel-shaped track mountedcircumferentially in the silo ush with the inner periphery thereof andadjacent the floor, a plow including at least one supporting wheeloperable in the track, a radial sweep auger adjacent the floor andincluding an inner end pivotally secured thereto over the opening fordischarging ensilage through said opening, said sweep auger furtherincluding an outer end rotatably secured to the plow and carriedthereby, means for propelling the plow around the track for displacingensilage therefrom into the path of the sweep auger, and means forrotating said sweep auger for conveying the ensilage to the opening.

2. In combination, a generally cylindrical silo including a oor having acentrally located opening therein, and an unloader for the silocomprising an inwardly opening annular, channel-shaped track mountedcircumferentially in the silo flush with the inner periphery thereof andadjacent the floor, a plow including at least one supporting wheeloperable in the track, a radial sweep auger adjacent the floor andincluding an inner end pivotally secured thereto over the opening fordischarging ensilage through said opening, said sweep auger furtherincluding an outer end rotatably secured to the plow and carriedthereby, means for propelling the plow around the track for displacingensilage therefrom into the path of the sweep auger, and means forrotating said sweep auger for conveying the ensilage to the opening,said sweep auger comprising a rotary shaft having an end portionjournalled in the plow, a spiral rib on said shaft, and an elongatedgenerally concave housing adjacent the rib in parallelism therewith andhaving one end secured on the plow and carried thereby.

3. The combination of claim 2, the first-named means comprising anendless sprocket chain secured circumfercntially in the upper portion ofthe track, a sprocket gear rotatably mounted on the plow and engagedwith said chain, and means for actuating said sprocket gear.

I 4. The combination of claim 3, the last-named means including anelectric motor mounted on the housing and operatively connected to thesprocket gear.

5. The combination of claim 4, said plow being elongated and including arear portion having recesses therein accommodating the supporting wheeland the sprocket gear.

6. The combination of claim 5, said plow further including a laterallybeveled forward end portion for camming the ensilage in the track towardthe sweep auger.

7. In a silo having a generally cylindrical upright wall and a floorwith a central opening, unloading mechanism comprising: a rotatablecentral support above the opening; a radial sweep arm on said support,said arm` having an outer end adjacent the silo wall; a plow secured toand supporting the outer end of the sweep arm and cooperating with thecentral support to position the sweep arm above the floor, said plowhaving a blade portion spaced circumferentially from the sweep arm;conveyor means that has an inner end carried in the central support andan outer end carried in the plow adjacent the blade portion; cuttermeans mounted on the conveyor means; means for rotating the sweep armwith the plow blade portion leading, said blade portion being adapted todisplace material generally toward the conveyror means as the arm isrotated; and means for driving the conveyor means to cause the cuttermeans to cut material in the path of the conveyor means and to cause theconveyor means to move material cut by the cutter means and materialdisplaced by ithe plow to deliver all such material to the centralopening.

8. The unloading mechanism of claim 7 which includes a supporting trackmember concentric with the silo wall, and in which the plow rides onsaid track member and displaces material from it.

9. The unloading mechaism of claim 8 which includes a drive track memberspaced above the supporting track member, and in which the drive meansfor propelling the plow includes a drive wheel rotatably engaging thedrive track member.

l0. The unloading mechanism tof claim 9 in which the drive track memberis racklike, and the drive wheel has radial teeth engaging the nackliketrack member.

1I. The unloading mechanism of claim 7 in which the conveyor means is anauger and the cutting means comprises knives which extend generallyradially with respect to the shaft and project outside the auger, saidknives having cutting edges which are spaced from the floor.

l2. The `unloading mechanism of claim 7 in which the conveyor means isan auger that has a shaft between the plow blade and the sweep arm, thesweep arm includes an arcuate wall that trails the auger and is concavewith respect thereto, and a top plate which is inclined downwardly andrearwardly from the top of the wall.

13. In a silo having a generally cylindrical upright wall and a floorwith a central opening, unloading mechanism comprising: a radial sweepauger adjacent the floor, said auger having an inner end over theopening and having an outer end immediately adjacent said upright wall;a plow in which the outer end of the auger is journalled, said plowbeing between the auger and at least a part of said wall; means forpropelling the plow along the wall for displacing ensilage into the pathof the sweep auger; and means for rotating said sweep auger forconveying the ensilage to the opening.

14. The unloading mechanism of claim 13 which includes a supportingtrack member concentric with the silo wall, and in which the plow rideson said supporting track member.

l5. The unloading mechanism of claim 14 which includes an upper trackmember that overhangs the supporting track member.

16. The unloading mechanism of `claim 15 in which the upper track memberis racklike, and the drive means 6 for propelling the plow includes awheel that has radial teeth engaging said racklike track member.

17. In a solo having a generally cylindrical upright wall and a floorwith a central opening, unloading mechanism comprising.' a rotatablecentral support above the opening; means for rotating said support in apredetermined direction; a radial sweep arm on said support abtove thefloor, said arm including a structural member that is fxedly secured tosaid central support and extends continuously to a point adjacent thesilo wall, said arm having a forward wall integral with the structuralmember which faces generally in said predetermined direction and has anupper portion that over/langs the central portion of said wall; conveyormeans having an inner end in the central support and an outer end at theouter end of the sweep arm, said conveyor means having its rear portionbeneath the overhanging upper margin of the forward wall; meanssupporting the outer end of the structural member of the sweep arm andthe outer end of the conveyor means so that the bottom portion of theconveyor means is in close, substantially parallel relationship to thefloor; and means for driving the conveyor means to nuove material to thecentral openlng.

18. The unloading mechanism of claim 17 in which the structural memberincludes a top wall which extends downwardly and rearwardly from theupper margin of the forward wall.

19. The unloading mechanism of claim 17 in which the structural memberis hollow and consists of an angle member that has an upper legextending downwardly and rearwardly fnom a forward edge and a lower legextending upwardly and rearwardly from a forward edge, and in wihch theforward wall is arcuate and forwardly concave with its upper and loweredges secured to the forward edges of the angle member.

20. The unloading mechanism of claim 19 in which the hollow structuralmember includes an internal rib that is connected to the central portioniof the forward wall and to the apex of the angle member.

2l. In a silo having a generally cylindrical upright wall and a fioorwith a central opening, unloading mechanism comprising.' supportingspider means in the central opening; a central support rotatably carriedon the spider means above only the center part of the opening so thatmost of the opening is unobstructed; means for rotating said support ina predetermined direction; a radial helical conveyor having a shaft theinner end of which is journalled in the central support and the outerend of which is adjacent the silo wall; supporting means adjacent thesilo wall; means journalling the outer end of the conveyor shaft in saidsupporting means so that the bottom of the helical conveyor is in close,substantially parallel relationship to the fioor; a sweep arm having aforward wall that faces generally in said predetermined direction inclose, spaced relationship to the rear of the helical conveyor, saidwall having an upper portion that overhangs the conveyior; securingmeans on said sweep arm fxedly securing it to the central support and totlze supporting means, said securing mea/1s being so positioned as toaord no obstruction tio the movement of material from the supportingmeans into the central opening, moans on the supporting means for movingmaterial from adjacent the side wall into the path of the helicalconveyor; and means for driving the helical conveyor to move materialinto the central opening.

22. The unloading mechanism of claim 21 in which the sweep arm is ahollow structural member which includes a forwardly open angle memberhaving two legs the margins of which are integrally connected to therear ofthe forward wall.

23. The unloading mechanism of claim 22 in which the forward wall isarcuate, a first leg of the angle member extends downwardly andrearwardly from the upper margin of said forward wall and a second legof the angle member extends upwardly and rearwardly from the lowermargin of said forward wall.

24. The unloading mechanism of claim 21 in which the sweep arm is astructural member that includes a sepanate top wall which extendsdownwardly and rearwardly from thc upper portion of the forward wall.

25A In a silo having a genenally cylindrical upright wall and a floorwith a central opening, unloading meehanism comprising: a nadial sweepauger adjacent the floor, said anger having an inner end over theopening and having an outer end immediately adjacent said upright wall;means supporting and iournalling the outer end of the sweep auger, saidmeans being between the auger and at least a part of said wall andholding the sweep auger above the fioor; cutting knives on the augerwhich extend generally radially from its axis of rotation and havecutting edges that are slightly spaced from the floor; materialdisplacing means on said supporting merans; means for propelling thesupporting means along tlze wall for displacing material into the pathof the sweep auger; means for rotating said sweep auger for conveyingthe ensilage to the opening; and nterengaging means on the silo wall andon the supporting means which cooperate to limit upward movement of asweep arm.

References Cited by the Examiner The following references, cited by theExaminer, are of record in the patented file of this patent or theoriginal patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,275,558 8/ 18 Holmgren. 2,029,923 2/ 36 Herbert104-279 2,592,559 4/52 Graham et al. 2,711,814 6/55 McCarthy. 2,794,5606/57 Buschbom. 2,915,019 12/59 Tieman 104-279 2,969,156 1/61 Miller eta1.

FOREIGN PATENTS 71,584 4/31 Sweden.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

HUGO 0. SCHULZ, Examiner.

